PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii - Lt. j.g. Holly Nicholas, a native of Longmont, Colorado, serves aboard USS Gridley, a U.S. Navy warship operating out of Everett, Washington, and participating in the biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise in and around the Hawaiian Islands.
Nicholas graduated from Longmont High School in 2018. Additionally, Nicholas earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Longmont.
“I learned early how to work with other people and lean on them,” said Nicholas. “Longmont is a very small and tight-knit community and we grew up learning to trust people and getting them to trust you. This is crucial in the Navy.”
Nicholas joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Nicholas serves as a surface warfare officer.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Nicholas. “I was drawn to the discipline and the camaraderie because I’m a very structured person. I also like the idea of traveling the world and being forward deployed to Japan on USS Barry has been pure enjoyment.”
As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel will participate in RIMPAC 2024. This exercise provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring safety at sea and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 marks the 29th exercise in a series that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2024 is “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.” The participating nations and forces exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces. These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complex warfighting. The relevant, realistic training program includes gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.
Nicholas plays an important role in the exercise.
“My job now is getting my Officer of the Deck qualification, so I’m driving the ship and learning my tactical maneuvers,” said Nicholas. “RIMPAC has been totally amazing. It has been so great having sailors from other countries just come up and start talking to me and offering me command coins.”
Nicholas serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
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| Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Isaiah Williams |
Nicholas graduated from Longmont High School in 2018. Additionally, Nicholas earned a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2022.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Longmont.
“I learned early how to work with other people and lean on them,” said Nicholas. “Longmont is a very small and tight-knit community and we grew up learning to trust people and getting them to trust you. This is crucial in the Navy.”
Nicholas joined the Navy two years ago. Today, Nicholas serves as a surface warfare officer.
“I joined the Navy because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself,” said Nicholas. “I was drawn to the discipline and the camaraderie because I’m a very structured person. I also like the idea of traveling the world and being forward deployed to Japan on USS Barry has been pure enjoyment.”
As the world’s largest international maritime exercise, approximately 29 nations, 40 surface ships, three submarines, 14 national land forces, over 150 aircraft and more than 25,000 personnel will participate in RIMPAC 2024. This exercise provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring safety at sea and security on the world’s oceans. RIMPAC 2024 marks the 29th exercise in a series that began in 1971.
The theme of RIMPAC 2024 is “Partners: Integrated and Prepared.” The participating nations and forces exercise a wide range of capabilities and demonstrate the inherent flexibility of maritime forces. These capabilities range from disaster relief and maritime security operations to sea control and complex warfighting. The relevant, realistic training program includes gunnery, missile, anti-submarine and air defense exercises, as well as amphibious, counter-piracy, mine clearance operations, explosive ordnance disposal and diving and salvage operations.
Nicholas plays an important role in the exercise.
“My job now is getting my Officer of the Deck qualification, so I’m driving the ship and learning my tactical maneuvers,” said Nicholas. “RIMPAC has been totally amazing. It has been so great having sailors from other countries just come up and start talking to me and offering me command coins.”
Nicholas serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy means service,” said Nicholas. “I have a division of 14 sailors who are depending on me to set them up for success. I am responsible for them getting their qualifications, which will also set them up for success outside the Navy.”
Nicholas is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I would like to give my parents, John and Kris, a huge shout-out,” added Nicholas. “They have been so supportive every step of the way. They listen to me and are always excited to hear about everything I’m learning. I also want to thank my boyfriend, Army Capt. Brad Cochran, for his support. He is not just a mentor, he is my partner. He listens and is very invested in my career and is always pushing me.”
Nicholas is working toward earning their qualifications and looking forward to their future in the Navy.
“I am working very hard on my SWO pin right now,” said Nicholas. “I’m kind of interested in the warfare tactics instructor program, but first I have to get that pin.”
Hosted by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, RIMPAC 2024 will be led by Commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, Vice Adm. John Wade, who will serve as Combined Task Force (CTF) commander. For the first time in RIMPAC history, a member of the Chilean Navy, Commodore Alberto Guerrero, will serve as deputy commander of the CTF. Rear Adm. Kazushi Yokota of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will serve as vice commander. Other key leaders of the multinational force will include Commodore Kristjan Monaghan of Canada, who will command the maritime component, and Air Commodore Louise Desjardins of Australia, who will command the air component.
During RIMPAC, a network of capable, adaptive partners train and operate together in order to strengthen their collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific. RIMPAC 2024 contributes to the increased interoperability, resiliency and agility needed by the Joint and Combined Force to deter and defeat aggression by major powers across all domains and levels of conflict.
More information about RIMPAC is available here: https://www.cpf.navy.mil/RIMPAC/